Those nice Broberg boys -- oh wait!!!!!

We like nothing better than to feature the five Broberg boys, sons of Dan and Sam, grandsons of Marion and Wally, on the scrapblog. What handsome boys! What genteel ways! Look how they pose so nicely with their Aunt Sarah on her 41st birthday!

UH OH!

Look how what they did as soon as they thought the camera was off! Those scamps! Shocking! At least they didn't damage the cake. (Note how the youngest, little Z., stands innocently by, despite his camouflage clothing.)

A typical Miller family gathering

The Millers marked cousin Chris' 50th birthday with delicious cake and dangerous flames Saturday night. Things got so lively that occasionally a fuse would blow and Pam had to go down in the basement with a flashlight to restore power. Here are a couple of videos to make faraway cousins Chats, Zack and Noah nostalgic (or not) for the merry mayhem. (To view them, click on the arrow twice. Be sure to turn on your computer's audio to experience them fully.) We sang "Happy Birthday" to the 50-year-old. Note the trademark musical quality. E. and Pam had colds and provided percussive coughs and honks. Thankfully, no one's hair caught fire and no priceless blue plates were broken. As we do at every gathering involving Millers, we played a cutthroat game of Memory with Alverna and Bill's old German cards. Every time someone got a pair, Chris opened up his musical birthday card from Pam and everyone rocked 'n' rolled. Little 'Bee led the revelry. All in all, a good time was had by all.

"Go Dog Go!" beguiles another generation

Between courses at a Miller family dinner on Saturday night, cousin Princessa H. read that Miller family favorite, "Go Dog Go!," to Little E. as proud mom Mary looked on. Who can forget the great hats that reap such scorn and the dog party in the a tree? Even Pam's cats came out to listen to the dramatic reading. Fat cat Turtle, who never comes out for anybody, is fascinated by M., H. and E., and waddled around behind them from room to room.

Mavis, Joe, grandkids and great-grandkids

Joe and Mavis couldn't look prouder and happier than in this Christmas photo featuring their grandkids and great-grandkids.

The Miller family's best athlete since Bill Miller...

... would be young cousin M., who plays for the best girls' high school basketball team in the state, Centennial High. On Friday night, we proudly watched her play in two games, JV and varsity, won by the Cougars. Some photos:

Pastry chefs

In this photo of a table festooned with a pink geranium, a silver tea service and delicious pastries, you may also notice some Spricks. Aunts Annette, Vi and Anna were celebrating something or other.

Five little cousins and one besieged cat

Cousins JoAnne, Danny, Chris, Pam and Karl pampered a kitty during a family reunion in the 1960s. Appears that kitty is resting on a bona-fide U.S. Army blanket.

Sprick chicks extraordinaire, moreso all the time

We're always delighted to get new pix of the Sprick chix, A., K. and C., children of cousins Davy and Sarah, grandchildren of E.W. and Mavis Sprick. Have you ever seen three better smiles in one place?

Those extremely cute cousins, yet again

We loved this Christmas photo of cousin Sandy's kids, Kelly and Paul Turner. The scrapblog editor enhanced her status on the social networking site Facebook considerably by nabbing these two excellent cousins as official friends. (Not to worry, young cousins, the scrapblog editor is not spying on you-all on Facebook after you sign her up as a friend -- well, not too much, anyway.)

Nice photos sent by Lavone Broberg

Lavone Broberg, paternal aunt of Dan, Sam and Sarah, sent a couple of cool photos with her Christmas card this year. Naturally, we're posting them: The five Broberg cousins. Sure wish Marion and Wally were alive to babysit this crew! Lavone (right) with her sisters, Dolores and Harriet. They both passed away last year, but we're glad to report that Lavone is in good health and spirits. We've enjoyed her company at a couple of family gatherings.

Scrapblog goes all educational

We know you thought the scrapblog was just for kicks 'n' laughs, but its secret agenda is to educate 'n' enlighten, sort of like Wikipedia, uh, yeah. We're proud to report our first student served -- cousin Teddy Hagberg, who used some of the scrapblog archives material on Uncle Ed Sprick for a report on World War II in a class at Woodbury High School. That's Teddy above with sister K. He'll attend Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minn., this fall, and we know he'll do great.

Spring will come again, someday

It's been extremely cold lately in Minnesota, but there are signs winter is winding down. Each day the light grows stronger and longer. Any season is lovely in our favorite place, the Hiawatha Valley. Here's some real pretty late-winter photos of Lake Pepin that the scrapblog's senior photographer, researcher, investigative correspondent, naturalist and science editor, E.W. Sprick, took in 2000: Fishhouses off Methodist Campus point in Old Frontenac, Minn. That's Maiden Rock, Wis., across the river. Since 1983, when the NSP plant in Red Wing, Minn., began discharging warm water into the Mississippi, there has been open water in various spots along Lake Pepin. The discharge raises the lake's temperature about 2 degrees, which may not seem like much, but profoundly affects an ecosystem, says E.W. One positive outcome is that bald eagles flock to the open areas to fish. The first barge of the season plied open water after breaking up the ice on lower Lake Pepin. This photo was taken from the ice off Old Frontenac. We hope E.W. didn't fall in to get this photo.

What Noah did on his winter break

Noah had a blissful winter break (except for the part where his car got towed; do'oh!). He spent most of it hanging out with the lovely Tara and/or with his beloved cadre of Robbinsdale pals. He asked that we post these two photos: Noah and Tara, so happy together. We asked Noah if he planned to go line-dancing in that shirt, but he wasn't amused. Camille, Tara, Noah, J.T., Kiel, C-Whiz, Joe, Ryan, Johnny and the boyfriend of Lauren Tietz (who took the photos) at Kiel's 19th birthday party. The temperature was about 5 degrees, but this gang refuses to wear winter coats, hats and mittens. Why? We do not know.

Aw, that little Noah

The scrapblog editor is having a sentimental moment -- oh wait, when isn't she having a sentimental moment? This time it's over some cute photos of Noah as a little guy: Noah was 2 in this October 1991 photo. I was having a little trouble figuring out how to comb his tightly curled hair in those days. This photo, taken at the Como Park Conservatory in St. Paul, was the one Noah choose for the baby-photos page of his Class of 2007 Robbinsdale Cooper High School yearbook. Like mother, like baby: Noah at about 3 months. I had just returned to my job at the Star Tribune, and hated leaving the little guy, but that's life. He seems to have turned out OK despite having had a mom who worked nights.

ChrisMiller!ChrisMiller! turns 50! That's five-oh!

Cousin ChrisMiller!ChrisMiller! is 50 today. He was born on Jan. 21, 1958, in Omaha, Neb., where, to quote Aunt Alverna, "He came in like a jet plane! I hardly made it to the hospital in time!" In honor of speedy CMill, we present these historic photos:

Happy 82nd Birthday to Florence!

Aunt Florence is 82 today. She is forever young, for sure. She and Harry, right, are still in San Diego, but will return to Minnesota in the spring. The story of Florence's early years, told in her own words, is newly posted in our online scrapblog archives. Check it out!

The little Broberg boys

The kids of cousins Dan and Sam may get a kick out of seeing their dads as boys smaller than them, back in the 1960s. Here's Dan in a tree, a scene perhaps foreshadowing his future as a lover of the woods: And here's Sammy with a bookie at Aunt Alverna and Uncle Bill's house:

The architect uncle

Uncle Wally Broberg was always the best-dressed uncle. He was an architect with Ellerbe Beckett in Minneapolis. Here he is with Aunt Adelaide: And in his office at work:

Now THAT'S a haircut!

When cousin Noah gets a haircut, you can't tell. When cousin Zachary gets one, whoa, you can REALLY tell. Some recent photos: Z.'s buzzzzz cut. Zachary with friend Sarah Ringdal and sisters H. and M.

Cold night, warm gathering

Sofia McFarland, an old friend who used to work at the Strib and now is at the Wall Street Journal, is in town. Had a delightful visit with her and her wonderful son, Axel (they're at right), tonight at Chris Welsch's home in St. Paul. That's Sofia with me and Totos (top). After dinner, Chris (cooking, at right) entertained us by demonstrating that a pot of boiled water thrown up into the air on 5-below-zero night will instantly turn into snow. It's true! Try it Sunday night, which is supposed to be another cold one, in your back yard. Sofia, a native of Sweden, now lives in Manhattan, where we visited her this past summer. She's a lovely human being.

Noah and a good pal

Noah's longtime pal Spencer Kennison visited today. Spencer is an honorary cousin, having played putt-putt with Grannie/Aunt Alverna on the last full day of her life. As for Noah, can you believe he just got a haircut?? His winter break ends Monday, when he'll head back to UMD.

Stop the presses!: Izzbee stands still

Little cousin 'Bee, age 4, in pink, then blue, stood still for her mother's camera.

Cousin Nathan Pepin joins the Marines

Cousin Nathan Pepin, son of Steve and Patti and a 2007 graduate of Goodhue (Minn.) High School, has arrived at Marine boot camp in San Diego, Calif. We sure wish him all the best. A few photos of Nathan through the years:

Annette and the coveted Burnt Wienie

In this photo of the coveted Burnt Wienie Award resting on a fine linen tablecloth at Aunt Florence's Osseo home in 1999, you may also notice Aunt Annette. No wonder she looks so tickled -- she had just been awarded the preciousssss trophy for failing to recognize her own sister. (See the online family archives, www.thesprickfamilypapers.blogspot.com, search "Annette Burnt Wienie.") Say, has the scrapblog editor ever mentioned that she's never won the coveted 'dog?

Maeve the brave

Aunt Mavis agreed to fly in her nephew Bobby LaMont's little plane -- as long as it didn't leave the ground.

Four generations later, another Maria

Aunt Alverna had just met a girl named Maria -- little Maria C., the raven-haired daughter of cousin Tanya, granddaughter of cousin Cindi, great-granddaughter of Elmer and Mavis, and great-great-granddaughter of Maria Sprick, after whom she was named. What an interesting variety of descendants Claus and Maria Sprick have!

Scrapblog editor noshes, kvetches with old friend

The scrapblog editor found herself with a precious day off today after having worked 2,000 days in a row. (Note to junior cousins: Don't go into journalism unless you enjoy work marathons and vocational uncertainty.) Ah, a day off. The scrapblog editor slept late, posted some photos of you-all on the scrapblog, pestered Noah (who's still home from UMD on winter break) and went to the University of Minnesota campus with him to run some chores, cleaned her house, went to a union meeting and best of all, had dinner pizza and vino with old pal Laurie Hertzel at Muffaletta's restaurant in St. Paul. (The scrapblog editor had apple-brie pizza, which Laurie was dubious about but the scrapblog editor thought was primo. Laurie had some type of orange soup and didn't even eat it all, which the scrapblog editor found amazing, moderation not being the scrapblog editor's strong point.) In one of the highest honors the scrapblog editor has ever received, Laurie has declared her "a cult figure" on her blog, and so we hereby declare Laurie a cult figure on the scrapblog (along with such exceptional non-cousins as Abraham Lincoln, Fred Ricker, Ken Burns and Karen Swanson). Cousins, this woman is amazing, and it's not just because of her remarkable, gravity-defying hair. She's a gifted writer, editor and human being. There's no better person to nosh and kvetch with on a day off from work. May you all have such friends!